Thank you to both of you. I guess what I was getting at is no where does anyone ever talk about the potential serious health issues if you are in a completely sealed space for any given amount of time. Yes, I understand that windows/vents etc are important, but no one seems to get that my question is about completely sealed yurts. Would they be uncomfortable to sleep in, yes. (warm, muggy, stuffy) but sometimes people are in a pinch and need a quick setup. Saying "I use this for my windows" or "A swamp cooler is great at this" doesn't actually answer my question. After reading 26 pages of this thread I get that there are lots of options to vent/cool your yurt. The fact is completely sealing a yurt (and using a chemical based tape to do it) is dangerous. Somewhere someone needs to at least say "Hey, you need some form of ventilation as being inside this completely sealed up space for a long period of time can be dangerous."

Anyway, my real question was more about transport, and no one has answered that. Can you fit the pieces for your hexy in a 5'x8' uHaul trailer? Anyone do this?I'll nip expected responses right now by saying I fully understand there are many many ways to put the hexy on a car, in the back of a truck, in a larger trailer etc. I'm just asking about this particular standard size uhaul trailer and if anyone has used it before.

Finally thanks for the tips on where to get boards. I'm around SLC so getting all the way out to Reno to buy the stuff really isn't an option. I guess 1" will be what I go with. 1.5" sure does seem much stronger, but I'm sure 6 years of these being around and built with 1" trump any concerns I have... TY!

Yes my yurt does get a little stuffy during the heat of the day but that is not because it is sealed off completely but because it is hot outside. I do have window cut outs (I don't use air filters for vents) if it's windy/dusty I just pop the windows back in. i don't have the swamp cooler for my yurt either, I just use a couple of battery operated fans if needed. Being a desert rat I'm kind of used to the heat, but you're in SLC so you know...

lucky420 wrote:not to beat a dead horse because that is another thread...

What's another thread? This is a hexayurt thread. Seems appropriate to ask here.

Based on this it might be a very tight squeeze. Anyone know if there's a issue strapping the hexy (sandwiched between 2 pieces of plywood) to the top of a uhaul trailer? For that matter can you strap anything to the top of a trailer like that? Is that legal?

/edit Seems regardless of the legality, uHaul has a policy stating they don't allow stuff trapped to the roof of a trailer.

Hey all! After hours of reading this thread, time for a 1st post. Pardon if this info is already in here somewhere. I'm constructing my 1st 8' Yurt now, got all the supplies and doing it Camp Danger Style.

I see different preferences on reflective foil tape vs. bi-fil for taping edges. I have ordered plenty of bi-fil for all stages of construction. Can I simply get away without using ANY foil tape? or must I cover exposed bi-fil to ensure longevity? Based on what I've read here it seems like the exposed areas of tape need replacement the following yr either way .

I noticed the Camp Danger preference to use only foil tape for edges. Foil tape may be pretty but isn't bi-fil stronger for re-enforcement and adding general strength to a panel? I get that bi-fil is a must for final assembly.

My concern is saving as much $$ without cutting any corners on structural stability.

I only use foil tape for repairs, such as little gouges. My taped edges with bi-fil have stayed taped since I first initially taped the edges and I have used it 4 times. I have to replace the tape connecting the panels to each other and that comes right off the bi-fil taped edges (while leaving the edge layer intact).

Awesome. thanks Lucky. Sounds like the tape used to put the yurt up won't pull off the edge-covering-tape. And I will definitely bring some foil for ding repairs, it's not pricey anyway like the bi-fil!

Jyman wrote:... I noticed the Camp Danger preference to use only foil tape for edges. Foil tape may be pretty but isn't bi-fil stronger for re-enforcement and adding general strength to a panel? I get that bi-fil is a must for final assembly...

Apart from joining panels, the magic is the bi-fil strength when wrapped around the structure and over the top seams to the tie-downs.

The edge tape doesn't really add any meaningful strength, just has to seal water out and insulation fibers in.

For edges, foil should stick for more years, and the 2.7 mil stuff is robust. Also reflects heat away. But as you see from posts, many get along fine with bi-fil on the edges. Low-quality bi-fil may loosen its grip in the heat, which can be minimized by a cheap foil tape applied over top. Debate about if foil on top of all bi-fil is necessary, just gives more years, or is unnecessary; this concern may originate from using cheap bi-fil.

Definitely have a roll of foil tape on hand for repairing any holes in the outside foil - you do not want any rain water getting into the panels. Doesn't have to be the expensive stuff; cheap is fine as it's just sealing.

Odd. No bears to watch in the dump. Oh well, lets go across the road & pick blueberries..... but don't harm the red dragon that frequents the area from time to time. He and I have an agreement.

So many nice people here were able to answer my questions about a Carport last year, and this year I'm thinking RV or Hexayurt. I had to sell the Carport when I got back as my car got towed while at the playa and the tickets and fees made me need funds quickly. But this year I have a little more to spend. A friend offered a space in their RV for a $700, which is fair but certainly not inexpensive. So am thinking of the hexayurt route, as I have some other friends who are veterans at building one and offered to help. (Don't think I'd do the Swamp Cooler if I had a yurt, as I don't have that much space for transport and yurt is pretty huge to begin with.)

So in the RV vs Yurt debate any thoughts?

The RV is a little nicer, can sleep better, and less noisy? Maybe? But obviously more expensive and a one-time use for the money (unlike the Yurt.) Given its supposed to be super dusty and hot this year, though, the RV sounds appealing. I don't mind public bathrooms and there will be a camp shower... but neither as nice as an RV...

I have preferred my yurt experiences over my RV experiences. Depending upon how many people are in an RV it can get crowed pretty quick. Even with one that has pop-out sections you still have a narrow path down the middle to traverse to get to the kitchen area or the bathroom. The floor plan of an H12 or H13 yurt is spacious and easy to move around in and allows you to stand up straight. I found a simple portable camp fan kept me plenty cool in my yurt even in the middle of the day, I never setup a swamp cooler. Also, it is pretty easy to store a cooler or two in the yurt and the cooling properties of the yurt helps the ice last longer.

Also, how much stuff do you have? If you have bins of things (costumes, ect.) that you need to get to each day, how easy will that be in the RV? The spacious yurt floor plan makes access to stuff super easy.

So many nice people here were able to answer my questions about a Carport last year, and this year I'm thinking RV or Hexayurt. I had to sell the Carport when I got back as my car got towed while at the playa and the tickets and fees made me need funds quickly. But this year I have a little more to spend. A friend offered a space in their RV for a $700, which is fair but certainly not inexpensive. So am thinking of the hexayurt route, as I have some other friends who are veterans at building one and offered to help. (Don't think I'd do the Swamp Cooler if I had a yurt, as I don't have that much space for transport and yurt is pretty huge to begin with.)

So in the RV vs Yurt debate any thoughts?

The RV is a little nicer, can sleep better, and less noisy? Maybe? But obviously more expensive and a one-time use for the money (unlike the Yurt.) Given its supposed to be super dusty and hot this year, though, the RV sounds appealing. I don't mind public bathrooms and there will be a camp shower... but neither as nice as an RV...

Any advice would be appreciated.

If you need help building one of these, are "thinkIng" about cooling it with a swamp cooler, had your car towed and have a budget of $700 and the man burns in 3 weeks, go with the RV.

Is anyone else starting to sweat a little bit with all of these reports of huge wind gusts every night? I have only used my yurt once, last year, which obviously wasn't much of a test. What are the MOST stable methods of support? I used the rope halo last year with 30" rebar at every corner and ratchet straps to secure the halo to the rebar. I have laid out the camp so that the two yurts in camp will be shielded a bit by 3 carports. The only risk I see there is if the carport goes it will take us out with it.

Hondovious wrote:Is anyone else starting to sweat a little bit with all of these reports of huge wind gusts every night? I have only used my yurt once, last year, which obviously wasn't much of a test. What are the MOST stable methods of support? I used the rope halo last year with 30" rebar at every corner and ratchet straps to secure the halo to the rebar. I have laid out the camp so that the two yurts in camp will be shielded a bit by 3 carports. The only risk I see there is if the carport goes it will take us out with it.

A couple years ago it was really windy and my H15, with it's higher profile, did fine. I taped my anchors on each of the six corners with the tape running about 3' up that joint. I anchored them to 36" pieces of rebar that were driven about 24" into the playa. Never knew it was blowing when I was inside.

We purchased a pile of playa staples with the thought of using six of the large (15" on one side / 8" on the other / .5" thick) and five of the small ( 10" / 6" / 3/8" )to anchor down our standard height 8' hexayurt. I'm beginning to think I should probably go with six 3' pieces of rebar and the six large playa staples instead.

Was planning on using rope rated for ~ 1000lb for the halo and ratchet straps rated for at least the same to attach to the rebar/playa staples. Also saw someone mention digging a 2-3" trench around the base of the walls to help anchor into the ground and was contemplating doing that. Pretty sure we will be at least semi-shielded by some RV's.

What I'm wondering is... how else can I over-engineer this to make our eleven day stay more likely to actually be eleven days (and not end up sleeping in our cargo van).

Tape Help S.O.S !!! I've tried the 8 stores listed on the Hexayurt page and the bi-fil tape is all on backorder.

Does anyone out there have extra tape stock? I have already 1x6" roll and 3x3" roll. I'm going to build a standard 8' yurt. Question is: how much more bi-fil tape do I really need and how can I find it?

We purchased a pile of playa staples with the thought of using six of the large (15" on one side / 8" on the other / .5" thick) and five of the small ( 10" / 6" / 3/8" )to anchor down our standard height 8' hexayurt. I'm beginning to think I should probably go with six 3' pieces of rebar and the six large playa staples instead.

Was planning on using rope rated for ~ 1000lb for the halo and ratchet straps rated for at least the same to attach to the rebar/playa staples. Also saw someone mention digging a 2-3" trench around the base of the walls to help anchor into the ground and was contemplating doing that. Pretty sure we will be at least semi-shielded by some RV's.

What I'm wondering is... how else can I over-engineer this to make our eleven day stay more likely to actually be eleven days (and not end up sleeping in our cargo van).